FASTMaster March Update
Find out the number of FAST channels available in March and more
FAST is having a slow-down of sorts.
The number of total available channels in March was 1,961 which is essentially a flat total when compared to February’s 1,959.
But don’t panic. New channels are being added (67 in the past month) as 69 underperforming ones were swept away.
Key point: Hardly any of the channels added in the last month were branded channels (TV networks, studios or TV shows). The brandification of FAST may be a thing, but serving the needs of consumers exists outside of brands and this continues.
Does this mean we are at a saturation point? I don’t think so. This is because we are still at the forefront of the emergence of FAST, a medium that will only grow as more households add FAST-capable smart TV sets and access native services for the first time. I also think that when a recession does hit at some point, we’ll see free services grow in popularity as consumers find out that there is plenty of entertaining content to watch alongside very good news coverage.
On an annual basis, FAST is still booming. There were 311 more channels available this year than last. We’ll see how that nets out in the coming months, but I’d expect some new channels announced during the NewFronts and Upfronts.
When looking at the number of channels per service, the majority continue to grow. STIRR resurrected under new ownership and the 25 channels I counted in March can be expected to grow. Most services have more channels than in prior years, but it’s worth noting Spanish-language only service Vix. Total channel count there fell by 12 to 96 in the last month, making me wonder if Spanish-speaking audiences may be maxing out in the U.S.
(Want to know how the monthly breakout for each service is with regards to genre, exclusive channels, single IP channels, etc? Then subscribe to get access to our monthly report).
Things I’ve Done Since We Last Did A Monthly Overview
As is almost customary at this point, a new report on FAST that I authored was released, this time by the NAB in the run-up to their big show in Vegas this month. I’ve been told that this is my best yet and it certainly is very informative whilst not necessarily repeating what was in the Samsung, Comcast Ads/Xumo, Amagi, Variety VIP+ and CRG Global reports. You can download “A Beginner’s Guide to FAST” by clicking the link.
I hosted two panels at the always wonderful TV of Tomorrow Show.
“How FAST is Influencing Everything” saw a wide rnage of interests represented as we explored the growth of various ad-supported mediums within smart TVs and speculated on what’s next. As well as a very raucous ending as a British chap acted like it was Prime Minister’s Questions and yelled out, only to see someone with a tristate accent yell back from elsewhere in the crowd. Catch the replay (and find out if you can lip read my reaction).
“Shattering the Myths of FAST” was much more peaceful and sanguine. The panel of FAST experts which included FASTMaster contributor Melissa Bidgoli and Ying Wang pulling double duty (thank you!) looked into many of the things you see folks not experienced in the space parrot on LinkedIn. Things like “there’s no quality content” or “FAST doesn’t make money” were examined and debunked. Really the sort of thing anyone in advertising should read.
I have been toiling away in my day job as VP of Media Research at CRG Global to design an affordable piece of research for those in the industry who need to understand the FAST landscape but don’t have big budgets or ever dreamed of market research. So if that sounds like something you’d like to discuss, you know how to find me (unless I reach out to you first).
You may have noticed a decrease in the number of podcasts. To those waiting to be interviewed, I’m sorry! We may have to switch to a panel format to fit everyone in. Work demands along with making sure I actually get some exercise in has seen the amount of available time dwindle… but we will have more soon.
Coming Up
Catch me at the NAB Show, where I’ll be on stage twice, first on Tuesday where I’ll be hosting a panel on The Opportunities and Challenges of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) in the Capitalize Zone Theater at 10.45am, and the on Wednesday when I am a panelist at Catch a Global Star: Unveiling the Rise of Non-English Entertainment in the Create Zone: Conversation Corner at 11am.
Thanks to everyone for reading. Stay tuned for the next analysis!